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So you've decided to make some extra money renting out your apartment on Airbnb, only to realize that you need your own place to stay in the meantime. Don't worry, there's a service for that. Welcome to CISWYWIRMPOA? (Can I Stay with You While I Rent My Place on Airbnb?), a site that lets you arrange to stay with another Airbnb host. This "Airbnb for Airbnb" (their words) is largely ad hoc. Once you pair with someone, it's up to you to decide on payments -- the service suggests splitting your rental revenues or offering to host your new friend, but there aren't any firm rules. Yes, it's a bit absurd, but it shows that Airbnb is now big enough that some hosts want their own support network.

If you prefer to carry Samsung's most recent handset instead of that newfangled iPhone 6, Sprint is now offering the Android option for lease. Until now, the carrier allowed customers to rent Apple's phone for $20 a month for two years. After that, you can either continue service month-to-month or send it in for something new. It'll be interesting to see how popular the option is with a phone that's been out for a bit, but the Galaxy S5 Sport is available for lease, too. If you're on the fence, or have a tight budget, Sprint's unlimited everything plan is $10 per month cheaper for iPhone 6 users/lessees.

The legality of Airbnb rentals in New York City have been under fire for awhile now, and the city just fired another volley: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has released a report titled "Airbnb in the city," and it's not particularly favorable. The report claims that 72-percent of all private short-term rentals (read: Airbnb rentals) are illegal -- specifically because they were rentals for an "entire/home apartment" for terms of less than a month. The report explains that these kinds of rentals probably should be paying hotel occupancy taxes, and estimates that the city has lost $33 million in tax revenue as a result of the illegal Airbnb rentals. Worse, the report says, a small contingent of hosts seem to be using Airbnb to run illegal hotels.

If you're wondering how many cities will eventually grapple with the legal issues surrounding Airbnb and other internet-based home rentals, you may not have to look much further than San Francisco. Its Board of Supervisors has passed a law that lets these services run, but regulates them to both prevent abuse and give the municipality its due. Hosts not only have to limit whole-home rentals to 90 days per year, but register with the city's Planning Department (which costs $50), pay hotel tax and keep records that prove they're respecting the time restriction. There should also be companion legislation in the future that prevents landlords from evicting tenants to turn their buildings into makeshift hotels. If implemented, it'll let housing non-profits sue to stop these turnovers rather than wait for officials to respond.

Airbnb is clearly tired of getting grief from cities that say its customers' short-term rentals are frequently illegal or otherwise a drain on the community. The company has revealed that it's in the midst of removing more than 2,000 New York City listings that aren't "providing a quality, local experience to guests." While Airbnb hasn't said exactly what that means, the move comes as the state Attorney General filed an affidavit in support of a subpoena for Airbnb customer info. The filing claims that two thirds of NYC rentals break the law by subletting an entire apartment without the official tenants being present, and it named and shamed 17 hosts that are allegedly the biggest abusers.

After dedicating a lot of focus to its streaming subscription services, Sky is finally showing some love for those who like to rent movies. Originally only available to its TV customers, the broadcasting giant has opened the Sky Store to all in the UK, allowing anyone with a browser, Now TV, Roku or YouView box to rent any of its 1,200 movies. While Now TV attempts to conquer the UK streaming market, Sky's Store expansion will provide a firm footing for it to take on Apple's iTunes and Google's Play Store in the fight over à la carte movie downloads. For latest releases, the Sky Store charges £3.49 (around $6) per rental, with older movies available for between 99p and £1.99. You will, of course, still be able to access the Sky Store via your Sky+ box, but if you've decided to cut the cord, today's announcement may help if you've watched everything in your Netflix or Lovefilm queue.

How much would a Leaf owner pay to banish range anxiety? If your answer was "$100 a month," then Nissan's got a proposition for you. The car maker is gearing up to launch a domestic battery replacement program for its EV in 2014 that'll set you back that aforementioned sum. Similar to Nissan's setup in Europe, if your battery can only hold nine out of 12 bars worth of charge, it'll replace the unit with a new or reconditioned unit. The company insists that very few will ever actually need to replace the battery, but hey, squeezing $1,200 a year out of its existing customers is a sure-fire way to inspire loyalty.

The new Blockbuster 2.0 iOS app (free, universal) is a throwback to the days of old. Specifically, the app is targeted to Blockbuster by Mail users, which allows people to rent DVDs and Blu-rays by post. When introducing the app in a press release, the company said, "Millions of movie watchers prefer the DVD and Blu-ray experience, and now Blockbuster customers can use their mobile device for added convenience and control over their entertainment experience."

The resulting app lets those users browse Blockbuster's 100,000-plus physical titles from the comfort of their smartphone, prioritize and organize those titles in their queue, view trailers and manage their Blockbuster in-store membership. And so you don't think Blockbuster is entirely holding on to the past, the company this month released another app, Blockbuster On Demand, that allows users to stream movies right to their iOS device.

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appsblockbusterdvdsiPadiPhonemoviesrentalsoftwareTue, 28 May 2013 15:00:00 -040016|20585649http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/redbox-instant-gametrailers-apps-now-on-xbox-live/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Joystiq&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/redbox-instant-gametrailers-apps-now-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/redbox-instant-gametrailers-apps-now-on-xbox-live/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Joystiq#commentsRedbox's new "Redbox Instant by Verizon" video streaming service has moved out of beta and is now available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. The app itself will require its own additional subscription for unlimited streaming, though purchasing and renting movies can be done regardless.

Two levels of Redbox Instant subscriptions are available: Four kiosk DVDs and unlimited streaming for $8 a month, or a Blu-ray version of the deal for $9 a month. A one-month free trial is available for anyone wishing to see how Redbox Instant's catalogue compares with its competitors.

Meanwhile, Xbox Live's other miscellaneous entertainment offerings have also expanded by way of a new GameTrailers app, which brings the video portal's various reviews, original programming and, well, trailers to the Xbox. This way, everyone with an Xbox 360 can enjoy staged interviews with purported burn victims.

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Sarah, who would like a tablet, but only for one week a year. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"One week every summer, I go out of town for a convention that I work with. I don't get a lot of downtime, but when I do, I want to stay connected. A laptop's too bulky and a smartphone just won't have the battery life, so is there a way I could rent a tablet with a 3/4G connection for a week at a time? Thanks"

Sarah, you've posed your humble narrator a real head-scratcher here. We've hunted around online, and found some web-based services that at least promise to do what you need. One that we are familiar with is Xcom Global, who will loan you a tablet if you select one of its MiFi plans, but it's a service designed more for international travel than a short hop like yours. We found a few places, including RentOurTablets, RentAComputer and RentFusion -- but we're not qualified to say if any of them are any good. As a consequence, it's time to turn this question over to the Engadget community. If you've got any experience of services that you trust and have used before, chime in and spread a little knowledge this weekend.

Think you can finish a 168-page novel in a month? It might pay to opt for Amazon's new Kindle rental feature, now available on an incredibly limited number of titles. A few options published by Princeton University Press appear to represent the site's introductory offering. The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking isn't exactly a bestseller -- we weren't able to locate any eligible books from that list -- but it's a popular enough title, with a current rank of 1,432 (if the rental option takes off, that position's likely to change). You can buy it outright for $9.99, or you can instead opt for a 30-day rental. Prices there start at $5.50, increasing by pennies each day until you reach the buy price (in this case, that'll happen at the end of June).

This new rental option certainly seems appealing, unless you're the type who slowly makes your way through a text over the course of a year. The feature appears to be open to any US-based Kindle owners, though you'll need to do quite a bit of digging before you locate any titles with the rental option affixed. In fact, if you wouldn't mind, do us a favor and share your findings in the comments section after the break -- we have quite a few bookworms on staff who wouldn't mind saving a buck or two.

Update: It's likely that the book rentals currently available have been internally categorized as textbooks, which is prompting such an offer to appear. We've reached out to Amazon and are awaiting confirmation.

They must be pretty far down the idea list over at Blockbuster Video, because this one suddenly appeared out of left field. The video rental chain has released, of all things, an iPad-based digital magazine.

Blockbuster Magazine, available through Newsstand, is a free publication featuring trailers, interviews and other content about new and upcoming movies -- specifically targeted at what Blockbuster has for rent. It does look like Blockbuster did a nice job on it, but does a digital magazine on your iPad really encourage you to go out and rent videos? We wonder.

Blockbuster's been shrinking lately, as increased options for digitally downloaded movies and TV shows have made renting physical videos less interesting, especially for us well-connected Apple users. Considering all of that, maybe this is Blockbuster's attempt to grab us back. It seems doubtful, however, that a move like this will be the key turnaround that the rental chain has been looking for. Better keep going down that list, guys.

International data services give us the freedom to leave our carriers' roaming plans at home, but that's only so much consolation to travelers who have to lug a giant laptop or cater to a digitally savvy family. Xcom Global is gambling that some of us want more portable (or just additional) gear for our travels: it's offering daily rentals of the WiFi Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 as a complement to its usual hotspot deals. Paying $2 or $3 per day for the respective slates will give a big-screen fix to those who can't get by on smartphones alone. Although the Nexus 10 isn't available yet -- something to do with the tablet only just shipping -- Xcom Global is currently discounting the tablet rental rates to $1 and $2 to lure us in. Any reasonable extra fees might be worthwhile if they let us pack light.

As a profit-driven network, ITV has its work cut out in the online streaming world when the BBC's iPlayer looms overhead. How do you compete with a cultural institution? Its solution these days is one of sheer choice: it's launching a publicly available beta of its ITV Player refresh that offers TV show rentals. While viewers will have free, ad-backed viewing for the last month's worth of programming, they'll also have the choice of renting 30-day access to archived episodes at 49p (79 cents) each without the pesky commercials in between. Anyone who just can't get enough Collision can spring for a 90-day rental of a whole series at a lower total price, and the broadcaster is even planning trials of streaming-first episode premieres -- if only we were so forward-thinking in the US. We'd question the wisdom of anyone who really, truly needs an uninterrupted The Only Way is Essex, but at least those who want fodder for water cooler chats can blast through their pseudo-reality TV at a record pace.

Redbox and Warner Bros. were at odds in January when Warner wanted to extend the window before discs hit kiosks to 56 days, but now the two have come to an agreement that keeps it at a 28 day delay. When their previous deal expired Redbox said it would find other ways to obtain discs and offer them day and date to its customers, although actually finding them in kiosks could be tough. The new two-year deal covers movies that debut after January 1st, 2013, and claims to improve economics for both Warner (which has apparently seen fit to eliminate the delay entirely for brick & mortar renters) and Redbox. Additionally, Redbox has joined with the DECE team and will support UltraViolet with its upcoming Redbox Instant service. With the new deal, it can offer UltraViolet digital access to Warner movies, and distribute movies through its subscription service. We'll have to wait for Redbox Instant to launch to know more information about that, for now check out the details in the press release after the break.

Warner Bros. may have doubled its 28-day embargo on new releases for kiosk operators (even if they side-step it), but endangered bricks-and-mortar rental stores could be treated to the exact opposite. A rumor coming from Home Media Magazine's unnamed sources suggests the WB is going to ditch the embargo for these locations altogether, starting on October 30th. We have no idea why this break would be offered to the relic stores, although we doubt they care if it gets a few more bodies through the door. Warner Bros. has a recent habit of quiet implementation, but just to be sure, we've reached out for confirmation and will update you if-and-when we hear more.

It's been one of the more conspicuous omissions in the media hub space: despite Google Play being the cornerstone of Google's content strategy, you couldn't truly use the company's music or movie services through Google TV without depending on content you'd already paid for elsewhere. As of a new upgrade, the ecosystem has come full circle. Viewers with Google TV boxes can at last buy or rent directly from Google Play Movies and Google Play Music, and the content will be indexed in the TV & Movies section alongside third-party video services and traditional TV. The upgrade also helps Google's TV front end play catch-up with its mobile counterpart by adding automatic app updates and subscriptions. While device owners may have to wait a few weeks as the upgrade rolls out, the addition signals a big step forward for a platform that has normally leaned heavily on others for help.

Traveling is great -- nay, amazing. And travel that requires a passport can be even more fulfilling for those willing to open their minds to new cultures (and, perhaps, deal with entirely too much security screening). But here's the thing -- travel is a lot better, generally speaking, with an internet connection within arm's reach. Things are never more likely to go awry than when you leave your comfort zone (or, you know, home nation), and we here at Engadget have been investigating the best methods for maintaining a connection whilst abroad for the better part of our lives. To date, you've got a smattering of options: rent a MiFi from XCom Global, pick up a rental SIM from iPhoneTrip, pray that you can find a shop that rents data SIMs upon your arrival or pony up for whatever absurd roaming fees that your home operator deems fit.

All of the above options have their pros and cons, but the good news here is that your choices are expanding. As the market for ubiquitous connections continues to grow, another player has recently entered the market. Tep Wireless began as a hotspot rental service that mainly looked after those traversing the United Kingdom, but recently, it expanded its coverage umbrella to include some 38 countries across Europe and 50 nations total. This here editor recently had the opportunity to cross through four of those on a single journey, with a Tep hotspot in hand the entire way. Care to see how things turned out? Let's reconvene after the break.

The international mobile hotspot rental market just got a lot more interesting. While Xcom Global's offerings are still broader, Tep Wireless is expanding in a major way. Previously reserved for European nations, the upstart is now serving a full 50 nations, adding Brazil, the United States, South Africa, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Bahrain, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and UAE to its repertoire. For those in need of a refresher, the company enables customers facing an international trip to order their hotspot and get it delivered prior to departure, with a prepaid envelope included to ship it back once they've returned.

The company's made clear that its hotspots will track data usage in real time right on the inbuilt display, and they're programmed to hop onto different networks as borders are crossed. (If you're curious, we confirmed that it all works as advertised in a recent jaunt across European borders.) The full pricing chart fo is hosted up after the break, with those needing unlimited buckets able to pay a $6.95-per day surcharge. (It should be noted that the preexisting EU-wide pricing options remain for those sticking to that region.) It'll probably look a touch pricey to light users and common tourists, but business travelers unwilling to take chances on connectivity when heading overseas will find the rates far more palatable than roaming fees from their home carrier.

The last concrete details we'd heard about Redbox Instant was that it was entering internal alpha testing, but now Verizon exec Eric Bruno has revealed more background information. Previous info indicated the service would focus more heavily on movies than the back catalog of TV shows that is a part of Netflix Watch Instantly and Amazon Prime Instant Video, and Bloomberg reports Redbox will break with their models by paying its content providers per subscriber cable TV-style, instead of a flat rate decided up front. What customers will get is a monthly subscription and allotment of disc rentals from Redbox's kiosks, as well as access to VOD movie rentals and downloadable purchases through the service. The alpha test is currently in the hands of about 500 Verizon employees, with plans for a short public test before launching in a late November / mid-December time frame. The main unanswered question however is how much it will all cost, but knowing what we do now -- how much are you willing to pay?

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I first got my grubby gamer paws on Dragon Nest at E3 2011. I stood in line to take my turn asking the devs questions, said no to an offer for free booze (it was early, after all!), and was thrown into an impromptu team with another writer who obviously had no single idea about how to play the game. Back then, I was blown away by how stylized and fun the game was.

It's still a fun title. If you ever have the hankerin' for beating up some fantastically animated goblins, minotaurs, and other various dungeon scum, download this free title and jump in. It utilizes basic FPS controls, but you have to actually time attacks thanks to a key hotbar that is packed with interesting abilities. The presence of the hotbar and "standard" powers make Dragon Nest an action game set in a standard MMO-combat universe. If you can get comfortable with the setup, you'll be in for many hours of wrist-destroying mayhem!

I sat down with Benjamin Boswell, Associate Production Manager for Dragon Nest at Nexon America, to ask him about the game as it reaches its first birthday.

Fox embraced a radical thought when it outlined its Digital HD initiative earlier this month: customers are more likely to buy digital movies if the content isn't artificially delayed and priced to match the releases on conventional discs. The studio is about to see if that gamble on common sense pays off. As of today, you'll find 600-plus Fox movies ready to buy or rent in HD across every major digital video store in the US, with many downloads cleared to arrive ahead of their physical counterparts at lower prices that reflect a disc-free reality. The media giant has also decided to play nicely with Google after a longstanding absence, putting its movies and TV shows on Google Play Movies and YouTube. Its tentpole movie release Prometheus is unsurprisingly being used as the prime incentive to try Digital HD; the title is available online three weeks before the Blu-ray launch at a more reasonable $15 price. The sci-fi thriller is even Fox's first movie destined for UltraViolet cloud lockers. Only Americans will have expanded access to movies and TV at first, but it shouldn't be too long before many countries can be creeped out by Michael Fassbender's android -- including on their Android devices.

In the seemingly unending quest to remain connected while traveling abroad, we recently decided to try yet another option when departing the US for a lengthy amount of time: iPhoneTrip. In a way, it sounds like the perfect solution. A single rental SIM, mailed to your address anywhere in the world, that you don't even have to return when you're done. There are claims of supporting "200+ countries," and if you don't have a smartphone or mobile hotspot at the ready, the company will rent you one of those, too. Of course, we've long since learned to take grandiose claims with an adequate amount of salt. Care to see how iPhoneTrip's rental SIM service stacks up against similar alternatives from Tep Wireless and XCom Global? Read on.

Xcom Global has been busy carving out a reputation as the world traveler's best friend, but that globetrotter has always had to make do with 3G even if there was 4G back home. As of September 20th, frequent roamers of the sort will have access to LTE when abroad -- at least, if they're planning a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun. A deal between Xcom and EMOBILE will let visitors to Japan get up to 75Mbps by renting a Huawei GL01P hotspot to the tune of $18 a day, up slightly from Xcom's usual $15. The pocket router won't work in other countries, but it will supply dual-carrier HSPA+ 3G if travelers wander outside of the fastest coverage areas. Not planning a trip to Osaka? We're told Xcom plans to expand its LTE option to Europe at some point in the future, starting with the UK -- good timing, that.

BMW kicked off its DriveNow car sharing service in its home country last year to see if urban EV rentals would catch on. Something must have clicked in Germany, as the automaker is exporting the concept to the San Francisco Bay Area as of September. DriveNow's initial fleet of 70 ActiveE vehicles will rely on a different business model after getting its American visa: the service drops the strictly by-the-minute model of the German operation in favor of a $12 base fee for a half-hour's trip, with a 32 cents per minute rate kicking in only during longer drives. Travelers will have to drop off the cars at specified stations, too. There's a consolation for the trouble through a ParkNow reservation service, which locks in a parking space at a guaranteed rate and navigates there through an iPhone app or the web. Just be aware that those spaces will be limited -- only eight DriveNow stations and 14 ParkNow lots are active, which doesn't afford a lot of free roaming even after discounting the lack of immediate plans for other US cities. We're nonetheless glad that Bay Area locals without their own ride will have an easier time staying green for their cross-city jaunts.